Rita Summers Selected Poems

These poems were written over two decades, beginning in 2002. They reflect the author's life and her thought. Some have roots in the rugged coast where she walks and the spectacular nature reserve where she works as a docent. Others are about travel, world events and ideas, and how thought transforms into words. Some are about the descent of dementia on her husband of six decades and learning to live life on her own. To quote from a review, "Summers … is doing what the best poets do … seeing the world as if for the first time and finding the words to convey that. The weight of grief inhabits some of this work yet a tenacious resilience reigns … These poems give us hope and courage. They are a true celebration of life".

Rita Summers was born in Los Angeles. She graduated from UCLA, did graduate work in psychology, then had a long career in the computing industry. She is the author of an early book on computer security. She now lives on the Central California coast. Writing poetry has brought great joy to her life.